Lighter



R. E. PETERSON LIGHTER March 16, 1954 Filed sept. 26, 1949 Roevfl. Peferson;

March" 16, 1954 R. E. PETERSON LIGHTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1949 .M7/LOM,

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Mar'cl-1-16, l1954 R. E. PETERSON LIGHTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 26, 1949 86 )Ufa 8? /02 Patentecl Mar. 16, 1954 LIGHTER Robert E. Peterson, New York, N. Y., a'ssignor to Repeter Products, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 26, 1949, Serial No. 117,842

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to a lighter. .More particularly the present invention relates to a pyrophoric lighter especially adapted to utilizea liquefied gas fuel.

In copending application Serial No. 553,701, filed September 12, 1944, to Robert E. Peterson, which matured into Patent No. 2,482,794, there is disclosed a lighter capable of efficiently burning a gaseous fuel such as liquid propane, butane or suitable mixture thereof. The lighter disclosed in the aforementioned application includes as one ofV its features a carbureting device for intimately admixing the gaseous fuel with air to form a combustible mixture, a mixing chamber and a combustion chamber, together with a suita pair of actuating membersone of the members being adapted to cock a spring or springs, released by a second member which also functions to open a gas valve.

A second object of the present invention is to provide in a lighter of the character vset forth an actuating manually operating means which is eifective to open a gas valve and after a suitable time delay to initiate action of a pyrophoric striking mechanism for igniting gas supplied by the aforesaid valve.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a novel arrangement including a gas supplying meansY supplying gas through a restricted orifice to a mixing chamber which in turn supplies a mixture of gas and air to a combustion chamber.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide in a lighter of the character set forth a novel pressure regulating mechanism for controlling the ow of fuel from a fuel tank.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent Afrom the following description taken in conjunction with thev accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical section through the lighter according `to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section takenV generally along vthe line 2-2 of Fig. l; Y Y

Fig. 3 isa horizontalsection taken generally along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. i is a detail of the operating mechanism, partly in section; Y Y

' Fig. 5 is a detail, partly in section, of the operating mechanism in a completely released position;

' the remainder of the lighter.

Fig. 6 is a section taken generally along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Y Fig. 7 is a section taken generally along the line 1 1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the present invention.

Referring to the figures of the drawing and particularly Fig. 1 thereof, a lighter is shown provided with a case i0. The case Il] is provided with an inner sleeve Il having a spring portion I2 projecting downwardly therefrom for receiving a cover I3. Positioned within the lower portion of the case are a pair of gas cartridges indicated at i5 and It, one of the cartridges I6 being shown in operative relation to the remainder of the lighter. As shown, the upper portion of the cartridge IB is provided with a cover Il having a scalable disc I8 inserted within the upper end thereof. The disc I8 normally covers and seals an opening I9 and is adapted to receive a hollow needle 20 which is pushed through the sealing member i8 when the cartridge is assembled with The needle 20 communicates with a tube 2l which communicates with a valve chamber 22. Reciprocating within the valve chamber is a suitable piston member 23 which is reciprocated within the valve chamber by a piston rod 24. A suitable sealing gasket 25 is provided which serves to prevent exit of gas along the piston rod 24. A bushing 2S is held by an end wall of the vvalve casing 22 and serves to steady the sliding movement of the rod 24.

Movable with the rod 24 and guided by projection 21 on the bushing 26 is a push button 28 which is suitably fastened to the rod 2d so as to reciprocate the same. The piston chamber 22 is fastened to the casing I0 and retained in position therein as by a screw` 29, which passes through the casing, and a frame member 30.

Positioned within the casing iii is a suitable spring 3| having one end fastened to the frame member 3G as best shown in Fig. 2. The other end of the spring 3| is fastened to a rack 32, the rack 32 being mounted to reciprocate within the casing and forming a part of a cooking button assembly 33. As shown in Fig. 1, the cooking buttonhas` been moved to a position to energize the spring 3|. The rack 32 and button 33 are retained inY this position byV a dog 34 tting into a notch 35 in the rlower surface of the rack 32. The dog 34 is seated upon one end of a leaf spring 3B, as best shown inFig. 7. being normally urged :i upwardly thereby. The spring 35 is mounted within a block 31 forming a part of the frame 3i) previously described. A,

Fitted in a bore 38 within the block 31 is a coil spring 39 having one end bearing upon the block. and a second end receiving an arm 40. The arm 4U is received at its lower end within a notch 4| in a member 42 fastened to the block 3'.' as by a screw 43. The upper end of the arm 49 is bifurcated to extend on each side of the projection 21 and Within the path of the push button 28,. Another bore 44 within the block 31 is provided with a conventional iiint 45 urged upwardly by a spring 45 (Figs. 4 and 5). Access to the flint and spring is obtained through an opening 41 in a side of the casing l which is normally covered by the plate 48 which is fitted into and retained by the notches 49 and 50 Within the casing as best shown in Fig. 3.

Extending upwardly from the block 31 is a secu ond frame member l which also serves to secure the block within the casing since it receives a screw 52. Journaled for rotation in the frame member 5i is a shaft 53 provided with a pinion 54 rotatable therewith. The pinion 54 meshes with and is rotated by the previously described rack 32. Keyed to the shaft 53 is a clutch member 55 including a spring portion 56 and a pawl portion 51. The pawl portion 51, as best shown in Fig. 2, cooperates with a ratchet 58 formed in the side of a flint wheel 53 which is journaled for rotation on the shaft 53. Movement of the shaft 5.3, therefore, in a clockwise direction will similarly move the clutch 55 and through the pawl and ratchet the fiint wheel 59 in a clockwise direction. Reverse movement of the shaft 53, however, will cause the pawl portion to move over the ratchet teeth 58A so that a new section of the flint wheel 5t will cooperate with the flint 45 at each actuation The valve chamber 22, previously described, communicates as by a conduit Si) with a capillary 6l and a lter chamber 62 to a restricted orifice or jet 63. Within the filter chamber 52 is a suitable filter plug 63 (Fig. 3). The jet 63 communicates with a header 64 provided with air ports 65. The header in turn communicates through the port 65 with a mixing chamber 31. The upper end of the mixing chamber 61 is closed by a plate 69 provided with a plurality of openings which serve to provide a restricted outlet for the gas and airV mixture into the combustion chamber 1 l which is also provided with additional openings 12 `for more air. The cooking button 33, previously described, is provided withv a projecting portion 13 normally interposed between the upper end of the combustion chamber 'Il and an opening 14 in the casing.

Referring to Fig. 8, a modification of the presentdevice is disclosed including a cartridge forming an integral part of the lighter assembly and indicated at 80. The cartridge 80 is provided in its top 8| with a sealable disc I8 entirely similar to disc I8 of the previously described modication. A needle isalso provided for piercing the disc I8 when the lighter and cartridge are initially assembled.

As indicated hereinabove, and as described in greater detail in my aforementioned copending application, the fuel container 80 is adapted to receive a charge of liquid propane or other liquid gas having similar properties. In other words, the cartridge should be charged with a liquid gas that is maintained in liquid form within the cartridge by reason of its vapor pressure, but whichA is capable of igniting and burning in the combuszol tion chamber under conditions of Wide tempera-A ture variations. The pressure of such a liquid in a container is a function of temperature so that the pressure of the fuel Whether in liquid or vapor form or both within the container is materially higher at high temperatures than at low temperatures'. This, of course, gives rise te a problem as it is important that the pressure of the vaporized fuel issuing into the mixing chamber of the lighter be at a constant value regardless of the surrounding temperature. If the vapor or gasied liquid were permitted to flow into the mixing chamber at inordinately high velocities, as indeed it would where a too high pressure exists in the fuel container the desired air fuel ratio would not. be attained and furthermore material difficulty would be had in igniting whatever mixture is created. Where the surrounding temperature is at a very low value the pressure within the fuel cartridge while less than what it would beat high temperature is still higher than the pressure desired at the inlet to the mixing chamber. In other words While there is a wide range in the pressure differential depending on temperature variations there is always more than enough pressure than that needed. Accordingly I have found that it is important to provide at any suitable place in the fuel line between the fuel and the mixing chamber an automatic pressure regulating device by which there may be attained a constant predetermined pressure value condition at the entrance to the mixing chamber and accordingly a predetermined gas velocity thus assuring the creation of a proper air fuel ratio and easy ignition. To this end I have pror vided an automatic pressure regulating device which will now be described.

The cover member 8i is also provided with a dependent portion SQ having a bore 33 therein. The bore es communicates with the remainder of the cartridge E29 as by an opening 84, over which a filter Sid is disposed.. 'Ihis filter not only removes any foreign matter that may be in the fuel but more importantly assists in the vapori- Zaticn of the liquid fuel. rihis is particularly so where the lighter is ignited in other than an upright position. Seated on an annular shoulder within the bcre is a gasket 83 of preferably a chemically inert material. The gaslret 8S is retained in position by a bushing' 81 and the bushlng 81, as well as the gasket, is pierced by an opening 38. Loosely fitted within the opening 88 is a valve stem Se having a ball closure member Si) Aat its lower end vnormally urged against the gasket St into sealing position by a spring 9i. The upper end of the valve stem 39 is riveted to a diaphragm 92 which is sufficiently flexible to move under excess gas pressure. The diaphragm S is urged downwardly by a spring 53 bearing at its upper end inra cap gli having a stem e5 extending upwardly therefrom.

It may now be seen that the automatic pressure regulating device is immediately responsive to opening movement of piston 23 by depression of button 28 to effect its regulating function. In other words, when piston 22 is moved to the left the gasiied fuel liows into chamber li of the pressure regulator and thence through hole lilla into the fuel line leading to combustion chamber 51. If the fuel pressure is at an extremely high value as it would be under a condition of high temperature this pressure is exerted on diaphragm 92 partially relieving the downward pressure of spring 93 and accordingly lifting. stern 89 a slight amount. As this stem lifts.

lower spring 9| pushes ball, 90 upwardly toward the bottom of gasket 80 to adjust the opening therein through which the gaseous fuel ows. This, of course, results in a reduction of pressure in the fuel line and accordingly a reduction of pressure at jet 63 (Figure 3) adjacent air inlets 55. `Hence it follows that regardless of the pressure conditions in the fuel container 80 the pressureV regulator diaphragm 92 will respond automatically to adjust the opening in gasket 8,5 so that under all temperature lconditions the opening permits only the proper flow of fuel therethrough.

yIn; order that the pressure regulator may be adjusted there may be provided a rocker arm 96 having one of its legs bearing on the vupper end of .the stem 95 and the other of its legs bearing 4against adjustment screw 91 extending through the casing |0. The rocker arm 96 is pivoted at 98 to a cover plate 99 held on the top 8|'of the fuel receptacle or cartridge by a screw In average operation the screw 91 is turned inwardlysufciently so that the spring 93 urges the diaphragm 92 downwardly so as to move the valve stern 91 downwardly, as well as the ball 90, to a sufficient amount to permit passage of gas from the interior of the cartridge 80 past the ball and into the chamber and from the chamber I0| through the passage |02 to the chamber |03 communicating with the interior of the needle 20. If, however, the gas pressure in the chamberV |0| becomes excessive, the diaphragm 92 is urged upwardly to move the valve stem 89 upwardly and seat the ball 90 against the gasket 86 to further retard or prevent passage of gas past the ball 90 and around the valve stem 8,9. Any desired gas pressure may thus be produced in a uniform manner by proper adjustment of the screw 91. It will be noted further that the bottom |05 of the fuel receptacle 80 forms the bottomA of the lighter casing. Inserted within the bottom |05 isa ball valve |06 having a taperedpinlet |01, a ball |08 for closing the inlet and a spring |09 `bearing on the ball and urging it into closing position. The inlet |01 is designed to receive a suitable charging tubeso that the lighter can be charged with a supply of a suitable liquefied gas fuel such as propane, butane or mixtures thereof. The pressure ofthe gas within the receptacle 80 will normally, to gether with the spring |09, retainthe ball valve in a closed position. The remainder of the lighter is entirely similar to that previously dis-v closed andoperates in a similar manner. V

Operation Referring once again to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the push button 33 is in an' inward position so that the spring 3| is under compression'and tends to urge the rack 32 to the left. This movement is prevented by the engagement of the dog 34 with the notch 35 in the lower surface of the rack. When the bottom 28,.is now pushed inwardly, the rod 24 attached to the-button is first moved Vinwardly to permit passageof gas past the piston member 23. YGras is then supplied from the cartridge i6. through the needle '20, the conduit 2| and the chamber v 22 tothe conduit 60. The conduit 60, asbest shown in Fig. 3, feeds the gas through thecapillary Sliwhich serves to furnish a uniform supply of gas to the outlet or jet 63. The filter 63. also serves to preventl passage of any foreignpartlcles and also to restrict the flow of gas under any pressure surges. The jet 63 feeds the gas into the` header 64, drawing air into the vheader through the ports 6,5. An initial mixture of gas and air is, therefore, produced, which is ,fed into the mixing chamber -61 through the opening 66. Within the mixing chamber a better combustible mixture is produced, which is fed out of the openings 10 into the combustion chamber 1|. In the meantime, the further movement of the buttom 28 has caused the arm 40 to come into contact with the end of the rack 3,2. The end of the rack is forced by the arm 40 to ride over the dog 34 and force the dog downwardly. As soon as the dog is moved out of the lnotch 35, the rack 32 is quickly moved to the left to rotate the pinion 54. The rotation of the pinion 54 rotates the shaft 53 which in turn will operate the flint wheel 59 to supply a spark from the flint wheel to the combustion chamber. Movement of the rack 32 to the left will also move the button 33 to the left and the projecting portion 13 will uncover the opening 14 in the casing to permit exit of the flame and/or hot air therefrom. Release of the button 28 will bring the piston 23 into sealing position to cut off the flow of gas and extinguish the fiame in order to prepare for another cycle of operation. However, the button 33 must also be moved manually to the right to cock the` spring 3| and engage the dog 34 with the notch 35.

It'will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims. v

I claim: Y

1. A portable gas fuel lighter comprising a combustion chamber, a gaseous fuel supply means, valve means connected to said com biifs tion chamber and said fuel supply means,r ignition means adjacent Vsaid combustion chamber, energizable means for operating said ignition means upon release from energized condition, a firstl manually operated means for energizing said energizable means, latch means for retaining said energizable means in energized condition, and a second manually operated means movable to open said valve means to supply fuel to said chamber and thereafter movable to release said latch means.

2. A portable gas fuel lighter comprising a gaseous fuel supply means, a valve means connected to said supply means for regulating the ow of fuel therefrom, a combustion chamber for burning said fuel, a carbureting means and a mixing chamber connecting said fuel supply means to Y said combustion chamber, ignition means adjacent said combustion chamber, en-

ergizable means for operating said ignition means.

upon release from energized condition, a rst manually operated means for energizing said energizable means, latch means for retaining said energizale means in energized condition and a second manually operated means movable to open:V said valve means to supply fuel from said supplyA means to said carbureting device, said mixing chamber and said combustion chamber and mov opening, 5a gaseous fuel supply means, valvej means connected to said combustion chamber and said fuel supply means, ignition means adjacent said combustion chamber, energizable means for operating said ignition means upon release from energized condition, a first manually operated means for energizing said energizable means, latch means for retaining said energize.- ble means in energized condition, a second manually operated means movable to open said valve means to supply fuel to said chamber and thereafter movable to release said latch means and a. closure member for said combustion opening movable to uncover said combustion opening upon release of said latch means.

4. A portable gas fuel lighter comprising a combustion chamber, a gaseous fuel supply means, valve means connected to said combustion chamber and said fuel supply means, ignition means adjacent said combustion chamber, venergizable means for operating said ignition means upon release from energized condition, a first manually operated means for energizing said energizable means, latch means for retaining said energizable means in energize-d co-ndition, a. second manually operated means connected to said valve to open the same upon movement thereof and a latch means releasing member in the path ofVmovement of said second manually operable means.

5. A portable gas fuel lighter comprising a combustion chamber, a gaseous fuel supply means, valve means connected to said combustion chamber and said fuel supply means, ignition means adjacent said combustion chamber,v energizable spring means for operating said igni# tion means upon release from energized condi-- tion, a first manually operated means for energizing said energizable spring means, latch means for retaining said energzable `spring means in energized condition, and a second manually operated means movable to open said valve means to supply fuel to said chamber and thereafte movable to release said latch means.

6. A portable gas fuel lighter comprising a combustion chamber, a gaseous fuel supply .j means, valve means connected to said combustion chamber and said fuel supply means, ignition means adjacent said combustion chamber includ-v ing a pinion for rotatingv said ignition means to ignite gas in said combustion chamber, a rackv meshing with said pinion, energizable means co'-A operating with said rack for moving said vrack and pinion upon release from energized condition, a nrst manually operated means connected' to said rack for moving said rack into position for energizing means adjacent said combustion` chamber in-v cluding a pinion for rotating said ignition means to ignite gas in said combustion chamber', a rack meshing with said pinion, energizable means cooperating with said rack for ymoving said rack and pinion upon release from energized condi-l tion', a first manually operated means connected t said rack for moving said rack into position for energizing said energizable means, a spring'- pressed latch cooperating with saidra'ck for re said energizable means, latch means for retaining said energizable means in` 8 taining said'rack and said energizable means in energizedfposition, a second manually operable means connected to said valve and movable to open said valve and a latch releasing member in the path of 'movement of said second manually operated means.

8. A portable lighter of the pocket type comprising in combination a chamber adapted to be charged with a low boiling point liquidv fuel which is maintained in its liquid form by reason of `its own vapor pressure said fuel chamber being disposedin a case, means forming a mixing chamber in said casing adapted to receive an air fuel mixture of predetermined ratio, means forming a fuel conduit between the interior of said chamber and said mixing chamber, a normally closed valve in said conduit for preventing flow of fuel therethrough, manually operable means for opening said valve,'a pressure regulating device operatively associated with said conduit for automatically maintaining the fuel pressure in said conduit at a predetermined constant value when said valve is opened, and igniting means'operatively connected to said valve operating means to be actuatedby said valve operating means upon operation of said valve operating means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said pressure regulating device includes a diaphragm and a valve, said diaphragm being responsive to pressure within said fuell chamber to control said valve.

' 10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the combustion chamber and fuel supply means are connected by a conduit which includes a pressure regulating device.

11. Apparatus in 4accordance with claim 5, wherein the combustion chamber and fuel supply means are connected by a conduit which includes a pressure regulating device, said pressure regulating device including a diaphragm and a valve, a spring being provided biasing said valve toward closed position and disposed on one side of said diaphragm, and a second spring disposed on the other side of said diaphragm and biasing said valve toward open position.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein thecombustion chamber and fuel supply meansr are connected by a conduit which includes a pressure regulating device, said pressure regu-- latingv device including a diaphragm and a valve,

a spring being provided biasing said valve toward toward open position, and adjustable means toA vary the bias of said-second spring.

ROBERT E. PETERSON.

References Citedl -in the file of this patent n UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

